Over 1.63 lakh GST registrations cancelled in two months

Tax officers have cancelled GST registrations of over 1.63 lakh entities in October and November for non-filing of returns, sources said.

Also, out of 720 deemed registrations granted between August 21, 2020, to November 16, 2020, where Aadhaar authentication was not done, 55 have been identified for discrepancies and the process of cancellation has been initiated in these cases, they added.

Sources said to handle the menace of fake firms, fly-by-night operators and circular trading entities, the GST field formations have cancelled 1,63,042 registrations in October and November this year due to non-filing of GSTR-3B returns for more than six months.

Revenue department sources said all these GSTIN entities which had not filed their GSTR-3B returns for more than six months were first issued the cancellation notices and then their registrations were cancelled as per the standard operating procedure.

Further, 28,635 taxpayers who have not filed their GSTR-3B returns for more than six months as on December 1, 2020, have been identified and all the GST Commissionerates have been directed to initiate suo-moto cancellation process in these cases.

Meanwhile, within one month of its nationwide drive launched in the second week of November against fake invoice frauds, the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) and Central GST Commissionerates have so far arrested 132 persons, including four chartered accountants and a woman for availing or passing on ineligible input tax credit (ITC) fraudulently.

Also, 1,430 cases have been booked against more than 4,586 fake GSTIN entities across the country.

Sources said a chartered accountant was arrested from Visakhapatnam for allegedly issuing fake ITC to the tune of Rs 20.97 crore by creating 14 fake firms without the supply of goods.